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Jasmine Snippet #12

This is a continuation of notes for The Story of Jasmine that were written on Italian Stationery in Cortona, Italy:

Rogan hesitated a moment, then gave up his weapon to the Guardian of the Temple. He felt the same frustration Thorne had described and felt naked without his sword.

“Come.” The dwarf commanded and processed down some steps. They passed many columns and rooms and at last stopped in front of a small opened room. Rogan could have found the inner chamber easily by himself. A blinding light radiated from the room with a great intensity.

He could not make out much detail and worried that he would be blinded, but the dwarf insisted, with Rogan’s own weapon, that he enter.

© 2018 DARLENE

Note: This is very close to Snippet #11 — looks like this may be the first draft upon which the prior snippet was based on.

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Jasmine Snippet #105

More Newly-found Notes for The Story of Jasmine Continue:

“Think it over, Thorne. It is the best opportunity we have! The King of UR can no longer help you or your people! Why go back empty-handed when we can appeal to the Ice king in the North?”

“We’ve discussed that before. It is said his heart is as cold as the land he rules. He has no compassion!” The violet-eyed maiden snapped, brushing her dark locks from her brow.

Rogan pleaded, “There is still a chance—but only if we join the Wizard-woman and her protector Glynn. We can only make this journey together.”

Tjhorne smiled impishly, “Alright, I consent. Make the necessary arrangements with this wizard-woman…but first tell me she hasn’t enchanted you…”

© 2018 DARLENE

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Jasmine Snippet #102

These continuing snippets are due to the patronage of a group of lovely people who are helping me make The Story of Jasmine saga complete for publishing.

Jasmine Faction card of Ahearn from the “Jasmine: The Battle for the Mid-Realm” collector card game.

Somewhere off to the right of the trail, sun beams illuminated a small grassy plateau. Rogan and Ahearn noticed some shadows milling slowly within that small meadow-like enclosure and realized they’d located the horses of Bardulf’s hapless, but well-supplied men. Unlike their masters, the horses were very much alive, happily trampling the dewy grasses glistening in the growing light. Rogan and Ahearn quickly took this opportunity to select from among them, the two most suitable beasts and riding equipment for Jasmine and Glynn. When Glynn arrived, he collected whatever might be of use from the saddlebags, packs and containers.

By the time they were prepared to leave, the sun had already replaced the night’s cold, blue-gray mist with a warm, rosy haze, which hung thickly over the grass, turning more golden as the dew began to evaporate.

Rogan and Ahearn expected the women to have shown up already. So, with a horse in tow, they returned to the ruins to collect them. Glynn stayed behind to finish his foraging. After he found a store of tobacco and heavy sacks of wine, he’d decided to take another horse to serve as a pack animal. After loading the second horse, he released the rest of the horses from the make-shift enclosure.

Rogan and Ahearn reached the ruin. Even from a distance, both noticed Thorne’s normally paled cheeks were hot red. Both knew not to utter a word. They already guessed that Thorne was livid with impatience and consternation at having had to keep waiting so long. Finally, they saw Jasmine climbing up and out of the dark. Thorne nearly grabbed Jasmine’s hair but she quickly checked herself and grabbed the large bundle Jasmine handed her instead.

Thorne turned to notice the men brought an extra horse. She signaled to Rogan. Nodding, he quickly dismounted and rushed Jasmine onto the saddle of that horse. With bundle in hand, Thorne leapt onto her own horse. In no time, Jasmine came to be perched, precariously high upon a horse, carrying her wrapped staff. Rogan steadied Jasmine for as long as he could before Thorne, in haste, quickly snatched the reins of Jasmine’s horse, making them lunge forward as Thorne lead them swiftly away.

As the sound of their hooves disappeared into the distance, the wind picked up. Swirls of leaves savagely chased each other in spinning battles. Crows called out a warning. Rogan instantly froze in position to open his senses and became hyper-aware.

Within this deceptively beautiful morning, the nature of the cawing sounds was a dark harbinger of change. All at once, Rogan knew they’d lingered too long. Being on the western loop of the trail, they had completely missed the group striding up the eastern trail. Thorne must have known the danger, she hurried too much not to have known.

Rogan then noticed some not-so-distant flashes of colors and flickering movement, accompanied by the dull thud of hooves upon rock and ground and the uneven hum of conversation. Rogan turned to Ahearn who also heard it, and whispered hoarsely, “Soldiers are nearly upon us. I will buy you some time to escape. Wait for me beyond the first outpost, at Flint Hill! My signal…” Then Rogan made a shrill, bird-like warbling sound. Ahearn nodded an acknowledgment, immediately whirled his horse around, and fled down the trail after Thorne and Jasmine.

Rogan calmly moved his horse out of sight, into the shadows of a thicket at the edge of the ruin. Out of his saddle-pack, he pulled out a simple muslin robe, dyed black. He put it on and belted it at the waist. After he dusted away some of the footprints, he located a small vantage point, nestled himself within it, and waited. If he were to be discovered, he was sure that his attire, along with the story he rehearsed in his head, would be convincing.

© 2018 DARLENE

It’s been about a month since I last posted–Did you miss the snippets?

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Ten Dragons

Hello Fans!

I’m very happy my Ten Dragons t-shirt design is very popular, at least with the parents. A hardy THANK YOU to all my Texas fans who bought a t-shirt!

I’m really happy it has turned out so well. I remember working out the details as being very tedious and laborius, but the result is well worth it.

This year, at my NTRPGConX Convention booth, I’m planning to sell some color reproductions of this design, just in case anyone attending wants a signed copy.

See you there in a couple of weeks.

D

Design to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of North Texas RPG Con X

Jasmine Snippet #54

Notes for The Story of Jasmine continue:

It was not difficult to see there were two ways leading out of the pool chamber. Shivering, Jasmine entered the left one. The passageway immediately brought her to a room that seemed to be drier. Before her, on a stone table, was a large stone box. Inside the stone box, was a cedar box. It was large enough to hold a lantern, oil, and a means to make fire. Without hesitation, she lit it and held it close to her as the flame grew steady.

She was still shivering when she recalled the contents of what was supposed to be in next room. Taking up the lantern, she found her way into the next chamber which, sure enough, had a change of clothes. The clothes were tucked away in an another set of boxes similar to the first. Although this box was larger, the lid sort of rolled in a weird way that made it easily accessible.

When she finally made her way to the contents, she discovered many different shapes, styles, and sizes of white garments, mostly robes and dresses. The only stitch of clothing that was not white was a blue cloak. She was eager to get out of her wet clothes and into something dry. Even so, she was as choosy now as when she was a princess.

© 2018 DARLENE

Colored NTRPG Dragon

“O” Dragon from NTRPGCONX

Just finished up on the design I’m doing for North Texas RPG Con X.

This dude is emerging from the “O” in CON and I thought I would share. There are 9 others moving in an out of the letters. Adding color makes the concept a little different than a one- or two- color design. I decided to sacrifice legibility for dazzle.

 

Jasmine Story – Snippet 16

A continuation of The Jasmine Story notes:

Event Cards

The great continent of the Mid-Realm has long heard the battle cries raised between the forces of good and evil.

The evil sorceress, Melantha, has conjured a terrifying demon force against anyone who would oppose her.

The dark prince, Bardulf relies greatly on the ability of his spies and assassins to secure his position, while the Ice king,Thorgall, rallies his mighty troops to fight for victory.

As a champion of good, Jasmine has united her allies to keep the Mid-Realm free. The varying strengths and weaknesses of the four factions make them evenly matched and deadly foes as the balance of power in the Mid-Realm teeters on the brink of war.

Thus the characters from The Story of Jasmine fantasy adventure (last published in The Dragon Magazine), continue to interact with each other in a product of beauty, excitement and suspense.

____________________________

Now that I type this, I realize this was one of the first snippets outlining the card game I developed based upon The Story of Jasmine.

As I developed the card game, the details of the story continued through the cards.

More about the Jasmine: The Battle For The Mid-Realm card game.

© 2018 DARLENE

Shifting my Artistic Focus…

There is a secret language of signs and symbols that is accessible to anyone who is sensitive enough to take notice. People should be more aware of how dynamically the Universe (The Divine) speaks to us. Communications from the Divine world are constantly being directed our way to guide our paths and decisions. I’ve learned the wisdom of “going with” whatever the messages present. That’s the beauty of it. We need only be present enough to recognize these messages AS messages whenever they appear. First, notice the message and second, be able to receive its meaning.

The customary ways messages manifest are through dreams, synchronicity, song lyrics suddenly popping up into one’s head, a person inexplicably remembered, street signs and bill boards, the unexpected appearance of certain animals, significant phrases from an overheard conversation, hearing something on the radio, a broadcast or a particular movie scene being shone, recurring numbers, contact from an old friend not seen for decades, an accident –literally any happenstance or encounter can have significance enough to guide people in the right direction. All here is to do is to be open.

In a similar way, a major shift in my artistic focus recently became revealed. Back in September, I’d paid for a marketing class I was unable to attend. A portion of my payment had to be swapped out within a certain time for me not to forfeit. I transferred my funds to a weekend intensive in Colorado called “The Art of Feminine Presence” because it was the closest in cost. I took this odd change in focus as significant and chose to be open to whatever the lessons would yield.

This is where it gets interesting. It wasn’t necessarily, what was taught. It was the fact of me attending with a copy of my recently-created “Fantasy Maidens & Beasts” coloring book to show. My artwork received such an overwhelmingly positive response that if I had brought a stack to sell, they would all be gone. That’s when I realized, “Gosh! I’m catering to the wrong market.”

What a realization! The true demographic for my work are the participants of this class. Thus, I’m reorienting my artistic focus to cater to women who are stepping into their feminine empowerment. So, in a very interesting, but round about way, I found a key piece to my marketing puzzle, even though I did not take a marketing class. My creative orientation will adjust towards aiding the course of feminine empowerment in my art through the use of fantasy images.

And I thank the Divine Universal Mind for revealing this to me.